Louisiana Authorities Block 3 New Utility Water Wells b/c Of Saltwater Intrusion
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Executives for Baton Rouge Water, a private company that supplies much of the region's water, contend rejecting their well applications will threaten long-term economic development and perhaps cost Baton Rouge its top fire protection rating, which helps keep insurance costs lower. A West Baton Rouge Gas and Utilities representative argued that the parish planned for its new well for years, calling it critical for a system that is only a well failure away from water pressure problems.
But members of the groundwater commission countered that they are following data from computer modeling. The commissioners backed three other applications that the same modeling shows don't pose a risk of saltwater intrusion, approving wells for municipal systems in the East Feliciana town of Slaughter and in Pointe Coupee Parish and for a Baton Rouge Water Co. subsidiary serving Central.
The denial of the wells comes after years of criticism by Louisiana's legislative auditor, the state Office of Conservation and others who claim the commission hasn't done enough to monitor the aquifer. In the past, some of the commissioners were employees of companies that heavily pump the underground water for residential and industrial uses. The commission often defended itself by arguing it was waiting on supporting science to have the legal basis to take more aggressive action.
The commission, refashioned under Gov. John Bel Edwards, has become more assertive. The commission adopted new rules and raised fees to allow it to independently track pumping rates at major wells instead of relying on data provided by the companies that use the aquifer. Gary Beard, executive director of the commission, said the well rejections are the first in recent history to be decided outright on the science, though he noted other applications may have been deferred for a lack of information. In West Baton Rouge's case, the commission didn't support the depth of the well sought by the utility, instead recommending another layer in the same location that presents less risk of saltwater intrusion. Utility officials rejected that because the underground layer is laden with iron and other minerals that would be costly to remove from the water.
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https://www.nola.com/news/environment/louisiana-panel-blocks-new-water-wells-over-salt-concerns/article_17c089a1-1da4-5d30-ac23-ea50a4a10895.html
